First Drive: 2011 Nissan Juke 1.6 DIG-T CVT

FRANKFURT, July 17. A couple of weeks before the world premiere at
the 2010 Geneva auto show, Nissan unveiled the Juke in Paris for a small
media attendance. STORY HERE

There, Alfonso Albaisa, vice president of design of the London based
Nissan Design Europe (NDE), said that the styling of the new model was
deliberately ‘different’ from that of other players in its the
fast growing segment. In Europe this is dubbed the B-segment. In the
meantime new competitors have been presented such as the Audi A1, CitroŽn
DS3 and the Mini Countryman, that will all arrive at the European market in
the fall. Although they may also be a bit different from the hatch backs
that up till now have filled the segment, the Juke indeed stands out in
more than one way.

It is a crossover of an SUV and a sports car, and unusual for the
segment, the Juke has the availability of AWD. Admitted, the Mini
Countryman will also offer AWD, but that model lacks the sporty looks of
the Juke. The sleek roof line and broad shoulders of the Nissan vaguely
reminds you of the design of the Z models and provide the Juke a
self-confident personality.

With large 17-inch wheels, a higher ground
clearance than normal and wheel wells in a contrasting colour the car looks
robust. SUV qualities are provided by the availability of Nissan’s
brand new All Mode 4x4i system, as well as by the slightly higher seating
position for the passengers.

Lightest in the world

In October, the Juke will arrive in U.S. showrooms, available with a
choice of three engine, two petrol and one diesel, in three levels that
rather indicate equipment than exterior trim. The top model is the AWD 1.6
DIG-T with a 4-cilinder turbocharged engine in combination with the second
generation Xtronic CVT continuously variable automatic transmission with
six-speed manual mode.

The 1.6 engine has VVT for both intake and is the first world wide
that has dual injectors for each cylinder. VVT for both in
In SV or SL trim, the Juke has front wheel drive, while the engine works
together with a six speed manual transmission.

The all-aluminum engine is the first of a new generation down sized
engines with direct injection and produces 140 kW/190 hp and 177 ft-lb of
torque. It is the most powerful in its class.

The new All Mode 4x4i-system has and no clutch, but a torque
converter with lock-up, which splits torque up to 50:50 between the front
and rear axles and up to 100 per cent to either of the rear wheels. TVS
uses electric clutches, one for each rear wheel and gets information
through sensors that measure speed, steering angle, G-forces and slip
angle. According to Nissan it is the lightest torque vectoring system used
so far and means a weight saving of around 66 lbs. The AWD model also has
multilink rear suspension, instead of the torsion beam that is used in the
front-wheel drive model.

The other petrol engine is the new, light weight 16-valve 1.6-liter
with 86 kW/117 hp and 117 lb.ft of torque. The 1.5-liter dCI common rail
diesel delivers 81 kW/110 hp and 177 lb.ft of torque. The petrol engine is
offered with a 5-speed manual or the XCT, and the diesel engine is timed to
a 6-speed manual.

On the road

Different styling was also applied to the interior of the Juke.
Although the plastic surfaces are hard and the roof lining looks a bit
cheap, the design makes you forget about that. The glossy red center
console is, according to Albaisa, inspired by the tank of a motor bike. The
same coloured details in the door panels and the red stiching on the seats
provide a dynamic look.

I could easily find the right position for the driver’s seat,
but the lack of in-depth adjustment of the steering wheel may have
limitations for taller people. Though my 6’2” tall co-driver
did not have a problem. In the back the head room is thanks to the sloping
roofline a bit lower.

The driving route took us along the Rhine river and into the
country. The CVT could also be shifted manually, but alas, no paddle
shifters. Now you have to move the lever back and forth, a missed chance!

The turbo engine is really strong, we were amazed, but should not
have been should we have realized it has 190 hp. Maximum torque moves
around the 3,000 rpm level and provides a lot of pulling power. Nissan
claims the 0-62 mph acceleration to be 8.4 seconds, which we believe. The
same engine with 2WD should be able to do the sprint in 8.0 seconds.

Handling of the all-wheel-drive Juke is very good. In turns and
longer bends the car is stable and when using sport mode, that changes a
bit the steering input, the Juke reacts swiftly and precise. The lane
change is performed effortless and without too much roll of the body.

Fun detail is that the different modes of the Integrated Control
system are shown on the display in the lower center part of the dashboard.
In Sport the display shows turbo boost, in Normal you see torque. Also
G-forces are displayed if you wish. It is a nice gimmick to play with in
the beginning and to show to your friends, but you’ll soon leave it
as it is…
Especially for the crowded and narrow European roads, the Nissan Juke
offers a nice combination of compact size, and good handling.

Pricing of the Nissan Juke will start just below 20,000 Euro in The
Netherlands, one of the most expensive countries in Europe when it comes to
cars. Expect the prices in the U.S. to start just below $20,000. The 1.6
DIG-T with CVT and AWD will probably cost just over $ 30,000. The Juke will
arrive in U.S. showrooms in October 2010.